tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67913028832392607982014-10-03T02:39:17.773-04:00Mama: All Grown UpI was supposed to be an African wanderlust. I became a wife and mother. Follow me as I learn what life is like as a genuine, bonafide grown up.KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-50676948634851440702013-11-21T16:03:00.000-05:002013-11-21T17:48:15.505-05:00My (Possibly Shocking) Reaction to the Reaction toward Melissa BachmanMy newsfeed has been chock full of angry rants and disgusted opinions of Melissa Bachman - the girl who hunted a lion (among other animals) and then posted the image on twitter. I really don't want the photo on my blog so the link is all you're going to get.
Obviously because everyone knows I worked in Africa saving the lions I have been asked a million times (and sometimes given an KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-1799450374125738102013-10-10T09:57:00.000-04:002013-10-10T12:46:05.917-04:00Why it is Ok to be a PrincessOver the years, I have observed one of the biggest trends in "feminism" (used loosely) is the idea that the only Disney* Princesses who are strong, independent, and worth emulating are Mulan and Pocahontas (more recently, Merida) because they are "rebellious," do their own thing, and aren't a "typical princess" (whatever that means - I've never actually heard the supporting facts). Otherwise KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-15309814180376825562013-03-21T20:01:00.000-04:002013-03-21T20:02:19.024-04:00Farewell to the Land of the GypsiesI put it off for SO LONG. I didn't want to do it. I kicked and screamed and cried. But the longer I stayed, the harder it was to leave.
So I got in my car and forced pedal to the metal, leaving the Land of the Gypsies behind me.
Looking back, I feel almost silly at how I reacted to the news we were moving to West Virginia. We had just moved from Maryland to Wisconsin three months earlier (KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-35939254522085869882013-03-18T21:24:00.003-04:002013-03-18T21:28:35.501-04:00I *Should* be Packing, So......instead I will blog about having two kids.
I've heard it said a million times before, in one form or another: "you will do everything different with the second one, trust me."
I'm only 1 month in to my re-mommyhood (1 month, exactly! Happy Birth Anniversary, Little C!) but I've noticed some glaring differences. And some, not so differences.
Child 1: DO NOT put ANY article of clothing on KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-65084828423856862672013-03-11T14:53:00.000-04:002013-03-11T14:53:03.341-04:00If you would just let me do your hair, you wouldn't have butter in it...Imagine, I found myself saying those actual words to my daughter at dinner one night as she had a chunk (a CHUNK) of butter swinging from a curl.*
Alas, having an almost 3 year old with crazy hair like mine leads to many a frustration when she won't allow it to be combed/pony tailed/ect.. In an effort to encourage her to expect her body to be respected, however, I refuse to force her to do KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-10117294804148066032013-03-06T12:07:00.000-05:002013-03-06T12:07:10.545-05:00What Really Happened......to the blog? You might ask. Yea, well, that, too.
But, really, I am talking about Little C and our stay in the NICU. So many of you offered prayers and well wishes during our crazy stay and I promised an update of what actually happened.
My labor and delivery with Little C was great. For those of you who love a good birth story, I will be writing up both of mine in the next few days so I KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-92084807816524885722013-03-04T15:21:00.001-05:002013-03-04T15:52:54.258-05:00Finally! An opinion on the breastfeeding doll...I want to start off by saying - I don't know how to feed a baby using a bottle! The NICU nurses all had a good laugh at that when they handed me my breastmilk in a bottle to feed Little C and I sat there in a totally confused state. Here I have an almost 3 year old and haven't the slightest clue how to give a baby a bottle. But why would I? Bottles were for DH or my mom to use when I wasn't KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-59044270738504850882012-09-20T12:10:00.003-04:002012-09-21T12:47:51.238-04:00I, too, am a Crappy Mom!I'm jumping on the wagon, too, because I am SO SICK AND TIRED of all these mommy wars. So in following with Life with Levi I am going to share why I, too, am a crappy mom.
I tell my daughter she is beautiful. I also tell her she's smart, funny, and totally nuts. Which is obviously setting her up for lifelong failure.
I let her watch Disney movies and pretend she's a princess.
I cloth KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-18690756342169384772012-07-17T20:15:00.000-04:002012-07-18T08:17:51.561-04:00Pregnancy PetPeeveOk I get that I am hypersensitive, but I just read a bunch of comments on a facebok post that said "what is/was your biggest pregnancy pet peeve" and this woman said this: "In 2012, with 4328542 types of BC it's amazing that people still have "accidents", but no we weren't one of them! But thanks for assuming we're irresponsible and total idiots!" <------ Um I didn't realize I was irresponsible KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-48259682944427158722012-06-08T17:13:00.003-04:002012-06-08T17:16:03.525-04:00Fluff Friday: Because Brains Don't Think on Fridays!Here are some interesting (or at least I think so) facts about me:
(1) The hyena is my favorite African animal (followed closely by the Warthog). DH bought DD a stuffed hyena before she was even born.
(2) I have the best husband on Earth, and legitimately feel just a little bit bad that others aren't married to him. :)
(3) I seriously love being a Mary Kay Consultant. I find it rewarding, KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-12066459217309073172012-05-20T20:39:00.002-04:002012-05-20T20:42:02.043-04:00Breaking the Silence: Part 1
The Zoo in Maryland has this photo of a nursing bear posted in PLAIN VIEW for ALL THE WORLD to see - INCLUDING my TWO YEAR OLD CHILD! How am I supposed to explain this barbaric act to HER?? I am disgusted and offended by how crude and repulsive this image is to me. A MAMMAL nursing her babies! *Vomit* It is SO GROSS I can hardly stand it. For one, those babies obviously have TEETH and they canKarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-81914355374736953362012-04-19T09:42:00.000-04:002012-04-19T09:44:58.783-04:00PishMiss O loves fish. All day long we talk about "Pish" and ESPECIALLY "Bookow Pish" or Mickey Fish.
Me? Not so much. Not a fish fan. While I love my father, my only memories of the fish tanks he had for us as kids are dead, floating, pale fish carcasses. Well and the few fish we did have that survived that my brother flushed down the toilet while still alive. It was rather traumatic for me, KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-47640554993755840932012-04-13T21:04:00.001-04:002012-04-13T21:06:45.942-04:00Fun Friday: The Great Cloth Diaper Change!First off, we need to address my obsession with creating alliterate themed titles for all my blog posts. You know you love it. I know I spend my dreaming time coming up with it. Let us all embrace it.
Now, The Great Cloth Diaper Change! Say Huh? If you are not in the cloth diapering community (and why not? why AREN'T you?) then you probably have no idea to what in the world I am referring. The KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-73435525383865884702012-04-12T11:36:00.000-04:002012-04-12T11:36:22.205-04:00Thoughtful Thursday: My Husband, My BlessingI am always amazed at the comments women will write about their husbands online. Don't get me wrong - my husband drives me nuts, too, but I do hope I refrain from complaining/nagging in public forum and focus on the incredible things he does for his family every day.
At the risk of producing proficient gagging from my readers, let me go into some of the top things my husband does:
He brings meKarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-4801327763911872702012-04-11T10:08:00.000-04:002012-04-11T10:08:02.143-04:00Wordless Wednesday: Bookow! (Mickey)KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-29304581848653824182012-04-02T22:38:00.001-04:002012-04-02T22:39:58.935-04:00Spiders Beware!This afternoon I walked out of my house to discover a HUGE spider lying next to the step. At first I was so shocked I ran inside. Then I decided I was going to risk capturing a picture. When I worked up the courage to get a closer look I realized that it had been smooshed by some kind of giant!! Oh my goodness!!! This spider was SO big - bigger than anything I'd seen in Africa and yet something KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-51348620388297693662012-03-24T01:33:00.000-04:002012-03-24T01:33:55.762-04:00Booty Buns #Clothdiapers #Giveaway!
Welcome to the Go Green ♥ Give Charity Cloth Diaper Giveaway Event sponsored by Booty Buns Cloth Diapers! Over 175 blogs have teamed up to present this amazing cloth diaper giveaway hosted by Daily Mothering.
Here's your chance to win an entire stash of one-size cloth diapers!
This amazing cloth diaper prize pack includes:20 Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diapers(these true one-size cloth diapers KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-41388745206867005692012-03-22T22:56:00.001-04:002012-03-22T22:56:54.501-04:00Now, Enjoy Now"Instead of relishing each moment, each year, each opportunity, each step on the journey, I'm constantly overeager to get to the next thing...I'm rarely satisfied in full with my present station...I was present for all those years of my life...and yet there was so little I could really remember, few emotions I could recall...Why? Because I'd been there, but I hadn't really been there." (Shirer, KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-35952188817719845072012-03-01T00:22:00.002-05:002012-03-01T00:28:46.075-05:00Perspective
A lion in the zoo wants for nothing. Within the confines of a plush enclosure, food, shelter, cleanliness, and plenty of love and attention are all lavished upon him at no cost to him. He expends his energy neither for hunting nor defending; rather it is reserved for the occasional tussle during play and mating. His life is spent lounging in the sun, eating what is fed to him. His life is safeKarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-23992109532831266902012-02-29T23:56:00.000-05:002012-02-29T23:56:54.300-05:00Wordless Wednesday: Ghost Hunting Shippensburg and Gettysburg Cemeteries
FOUND ONE!!!!!!! :) :)KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-30548198951003761902012-02-16T17:59:00.001-05:002012-02-16T18:03:20.440-05:00Versatile Blogger Award!
HUGE thank you to the following blogs for Awarding Me! Especially since I'm so new to the scene!
Eight Days a Week
Mommy to a Little Lady[bug]
Diapers, Dogs, and Deployment
When you receive this award there are 3 things that you are asked to do:
1. Thank the person who nominated you with a back link to their blog.
2. List 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 15 newly discovered or fondly KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-66758171179246774032012-02-15T16:53:00.000-05:002012-02-15T16:53:27.019-05:00#WordlessWednesday: In My African DreamsKarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-84194507368528801232012-02-14T00:05:00.000-05:002012-02-14T00:05:16.435-05:00What is LOVE?... Well It's #ClothDiapersWell it’s certainly no secret I am a HUGE fan of cloth diapering. I can’t hide it, I won’t deny it, and I’m telling you I LOVE that fluffy bum! While I hope to make this blog one of interest that connects to people of all walks of life, please understand that my personal walk includes the Fluff! Really, it’s part of the reason for starting this blog. I’ve gotten so involved in the fluff communityKarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com1Washington, DC, USA38.8951118 -77.036365838.793160300000004 -77.1415488 38.9970633 -76.9311828tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-86609758068299939282012-02-08T00:06:00.001-05:002012-02-08T00:06:13.074-05:00Wordless Wednesday
javascript:void(0)KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6791302883239260798.post-63036254504179270142012-02-07T23:37:00.000-05:002012-02-07T23:37:55.572-05:00#FoodForThought: The Lost CheeseGorgonzola is, by far, the most under-used of all the cheeses. (*disclaimer: I have done NO research and have no bases for this conclusion other than my extreme love of the cheese and a casual recognition that it is not as popular as it should be.)
Never being a big fan of cheese, I had not tried the Great Gorgonzola until I became pregnant with Miss O. While I will get into the pregnancy KarilynAleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13688090304222904770noreply@blogger.com0